BOURLON WOOD.

Levin Daily Chronicle, 27 November 1917, Page 3

BOURLON WOOD.

Grim Struggle for Important Ground. [ELKCTKIC TELEGhArn —COPYRIGHT.] PRESS ASSOCIATION.J Received This l>ay, 8.40 a.m. London, Nov. 20. Philip Gibbs says: A great battle has raged for two days for possession ol tho Bourlon wood, which commands the country northeast and north of tho villages of Inehy and Moeuvres. The English battalions and the Highlanders are fighting with dauntless determination to make good the triumpth ol the first day when they broke the Hindenburg line. Some lliavc been fighting lor nearly a week without re-t or sleep except odd half hours. They are on short rations. Tuesday's smashing blow wa.s followed by a. dingdong struggle over twelve miles of open country from Proville to Masniers. The capture of Bourlon wood was necessary to enable further progress. It covers COO .acres of high ground westward of Oambrai. The difficulty of its capture was our h»,s of Fontaine 1 Notre Dame upon the eat-'t and the strong German defence by frrrii troops at Moeuvres and Tneliy, Deadly able German Gun. Our men speak admiringly of the rapidity w.th which the German gunners got into action. The enemy were thus no longer weak when we attacked Bourlon wood on Friday morning. The battle opened with all armies. o working together in splendid union. 'Guns which had' been galloped forward into new positions on the captured territory astonishingly close to the German lines opened a terrific drumfire. Many of our regiments fought on other battlefields but came fresh and (full of enthusiasm into tho new battle beacuse of the new promise of tory'.The tanks again .ledtlie attack, single -scouts ahead and others following in •echelon. Some tank crews hadi the "hardiest nine days of their livch. Even during the advance many tankmen Tvero asleep despite tlio noise of the engines and bursting shells.